Cut!
by frenziedpanda7
Summary: "Nothing,not even Mokuba's happiness,was worth this aggravation."


"Cut!"

Yu-Gi-Oh is not mine, but I do have a headache I'd be happy to give away to anyone who wants it.

Seto Kaiba had been running a multinational corporation since the age of fourteen. He had become a world champion duelist at age fifteen. He knew what hard work was, and had never shied away from it. But, he had never worked so hard, been so utterly exhausted, in the boardroom or on the dueling field, as he was after spending an entire day filming a commercial in which he would appear for all of eight seconds.

It was fitting he supposed, that he was appearing in an ad for an over-the-counter headache remedy, since the project had been one massive headache from the get go. Why, oh why, had he let those idiots in the Public Relations department talk him into it? Actually, they hadn't; it was Mokuba all the way, thrilled by the idea of his big brother becoming a TV star. While Kaiba was willing to indulge Mokuba in almost anything, he knew after today that Mokuba's plans to turn him into a Hollywood superstar would have to be nipped in the bud, preferably BEFORE he found himself starring in some ghastly "reality" show.

Arriving at the scheduled time for filming, he had been pleased to find that the Kaibadome would be the backdrop for his segment. He had been considerably less pleased, in fact rather horrified, to find that he'd be sharing his few seconds of stardom with his number one rival (and biggest headache!) Yugi Motou!

At least, he told himself, it would be quick. All they had to do was stand back- to- back, each holding a bottle of pills and throwing their best dueling glares at each other over their shoulders, simple enough surely?

No, of course not, why would ANYTHING involving Yugi be simple? First, he had been deposited in a chair while makeup artists and hair dressers swarmed around him like angry hornets. He could understand their interest in Yugi, but dammit HE wasn't the one with the hair that tried to eat Domino!

Somehow he managed to avoid choking to death on hairspray fumes. Then it was time for them to pose with the bottles of headache remedy under massive arc lights, an experience that allowed Kaiba to understand how an ant felt when trapped under a magnifying glass at high noon. Another half hour of his life was wasted being manhandled into the correct pose while being admonished to "act natural". Finally, the cameras were rolling and-

"Cut!"

The camera angle had to be adjusted, Yugi wasn't in the shot. (And this was a problem how? Kaiba wondered.)

Take two…

"Cut!"

The bottles were being held the wrong way around, the labels were not visible.

Take three…

"Cut!"

Random passersby wandered into the shot. "I said CLEAR THE SET!" The director fumed.

Take four…

By take nine the heavy TV makeup was melting off their faces and had to be re-applied. A five minute break was called at take twelve so the director could smoke a quick cigarette. Take sixteen was ruined by a loud car muffler. A two hour lunch break was called at take twenty three. An arc light fell over and almost hit Kaiba at take twenty seven. Kaiba suspected shadow magic was involved. Kaiba "accidentally" kicked Yugi in the shins at take twenty eight…

After seven hours of this torture, Kaiba had had enough. Nothing, not good public relations not even Mokuba's happiness was worth this aggravation. His makeup was once again melting off his face and onto his immaculate white trench coat. His temper was hot enough to melt the polar ice caps. He needed to leave. And he'd have to take Yugi with him before the shrimp keeled over from heat exhaustion. He still had to get the title of "Number One Duelist" back from Yugi, so he couldn't allow his rival to die and take that title to the grave with him.

Something had to give. Surprisingly, it wasn't _Kaiba's _temper…

"Cut!"

A life saving breeze had blown Yugi's hair into his face. The director stormed over and did the unthinkable; grabbing a handful of multi-colored spikes, he shouted for someone to bring some shears and "Take a foot off the top."

The puzzle flashed, Yugi's eyes went crimson. What the Other Yugi said to the director was too quiet for even Kaiba to hear, but had the desired effect. The next and _final _take went off without a hitch, and the director fled, never to be seen in Domino again. While Kaiba was grateful enough to give Yugi a ride home in his limo, he decided against giving his rival exclusive use of Kaibaland's biggest dueling platform for a month. After all, they could have been spared hours of discomfort if only Yugi's other had taken a firm stand from the beginning instead of hiding in the dammed puzzle for half the day! Kaiba's own inability to grow a backbone was another matter entirely he just didn't want to disappoint Mokuba…

ooooooooooooo

Kaiba just wanted to forget the matter, but fate had other ideas. Every time he came near a television he and Yugi were on the screen, each looking like they desperately needed that headache remedy. The annoying jingle, he was convinced, would be stuck in his head for the rest of eternity. And as he feared, the "offers" were coming in almost daily. The latest one was asking him to appear in the first episode of a proposed new show called "Celebrity Whiz Kids"! As if he would ever be associated with such nonsense! On the other hand, perhaps it would be a good opportunity for his little brother to experience firsthand the realities of a television career…

"Isono, please bring Mokuba to my office. I have a little project for him…"


End file.
